Cashew from Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu's cashew industry centres on Panruti in Cuddalore district — newer than Kerala or Goa, faster-growing, and increasingly export-focused. Panruti has been one of the standout growth stories of Indian cashew processing over the past two decades.
Specialties
W320, W450, growing export volumes
Harvest
Feb–Apr
Key clusters
Panruti (Cuddalore), Pondicherry, Vellore
The Panruti growth story
Panruti was a minor cashew region until the 1990s, when government incentives and lower land costs began attracting processors relocating from Kerala. Over the past 30 years it has grown into one of India's most active processing clusters. The industry employs an increasingly mechanized workforce — Panruti was an early adopter of automated shelling and peeling lines, which keeps unit costs competitive with Vietnam on standard grades.
Why source from Tamil Nadu
- Competitive pricing — lower historical labour costs and modern facilities
- Mechanization — higher throughput, more consistent quality on standard grades (W320, W450)
- Chennai Port — direct export shipping
- Growing capacity — newer facilities mean fewer legacy quality issues